Cilic's suspension has been reduced to 4 months - as the ban was backdated, it means he could play in Paris next week.

MARIN ČILIĆ’S SUSPENSION REDUCED TO FOUR MONTHS

25 October 2013 – The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has issued its decision in the arbitration procedure between the Croatian tennis player Marin Čilić and the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

Both the player and the federation appealed to the CAS against the decision issued on 23 September 2013 by the ITF’s Anti-Doping Tribunal (IADT) in which the player was sanctioned with a nine month ban following a positive anti-doping control for a metabolite of nikethamide (N-ethylnicotinamide), a stimulant which is prohibited in competition. The player admitted that he had inadvertently ingested the prohibited substance by taking a glucose supplement out-of-competition and argued that due to the circumstances of the case, the IADT’s decision should be annulled and replaced with a warning and no period of ineligibility. The ITF, however, appealed the IADT’s decision to request that the sanction imposed on the player be increased.

The arbitration procedure was referred to a panel of CAS arbitrators (Prof. Ulrich Haas, Germany (President), Mr Jeffrey Benz, USA, and Mr Romano Subiotto QC, UK/Belgium), who heard the parties and their legal representatives at a hearing held in London on 16 October 2013.

The Panel determined that the degree of fault committed by the athlete was inferior to that established in the IADT decision. The Panel also determined that the sanction imposed was too severe in view of the degree of fault and concluded that it should be reduced to four months, commencing on 23 September 2013, less the period of provisional suspension already served by the player from 26 June 2013 to 23 September 2013. The player’s ban will therefore end at midnight on 25 October 2013.

The full arbitral award, with the grounds for the Panel’s decision, will be issued to the parties in due course.

The only consolation in what I perceive to be an idiot decision, is that Cilic will be tainted to the end of his career by this. I didn't believe his explanation and I don't think the ban should have been reduced.

I predicted right at the start that both he and Trocki wound get a slap across the wrist, followed by the bans being reduced. I await the outcome if the Troicki appeal.

Meanwhile the complete farce that is drugs testing in tennis continues.

But, but, but.....Cilic would've been the ideal candidate to make an example of, if there had been anything in it.He's moderately well known if you follow tennis generally, but not at all well known to the wider public with a casual interest. If it was discovered he'd taken drugs it would cause a few ripples and then be forgotten.Whereas the whole world has heard of Rogie/Rafie and it would be catastrophic if it were ever proved that they've taken drugs.

Serbia's Viktor Troicki has had his 18-month ban for failing to provide a blood sample cut to 12 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).The 27-year-old was given the initial punishment by an International Tennis Federation (ITF) anti-doping tribunal.

Troicki had refused to give a blood sample during the Monte Carlo Masters in April and will be banned until 15 July 2014."This decision puts an end to my dreams of being a top player," said Troicki.

The reduced ban means the world number 77 will miss the first three Grand Slams of 2014.

As a result, he will be unable to defend the points he accumulated in the early part of 2013 and is likely to drop down the rankings."I have no idea what to do now or where to go," added Troicki, who had called for his suspension to be overturned. "I hope somehow I will be able to fight back."

CAS decided that Troicki was not at "significant fault" despite committing an anti-doping violation, with no suggestion he intended to evade the detection of a banned substance in his system.http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/24823868

@Elena - thanks for the report. It just highlights the farce that is testing in tennis. Call me cynical but the only reason for dodging a blood test to me is you know there is something the test is likely to pick up, at that moment that might we gone by the time it's resolved. The sentence should be the same as if he had tested positive.

I would have put money on Troicki' s ban being reduced - drug testing in tennis is a farce.

So would I. What is Novak on about? Yesterday he was on about the WTF moving from the O2 today drugs. Is he a representative of players in general? Perhaps he was on a "high" after nearly losing to Federer? NOT DRUG INDUCED!

Does anyone know for certain what happened? I doubt it. Seems a poor excuse to miss a test if feeling unwell. Surely the testers should see them and agree to wait rather than be told by the player! Then there is no problem. Poor management all round? Get it in writing that the test can be delayed a day must be the way. Quite frankly, if I had been good enough to be tested regularly then I would make sure nothing went wrong so why do top sportsman not do the same? Not doing a test gives a hint that perhaps something has been taken. I would want to avoid that innuendo.

With all the conjecture over who might and who might not have taken drugs is there a summary of tests taken and a list of those who miss or fail them available for anyone to inspect? The in word for all life now is transparency which is not achievable nor perhaps desirable so we do have some privacy in life but hey let's be more pragmatic here. WADA sort it for all sportsmen.

So would I. What is Novak on about? Yesterday he was on about the WTF moving from the O2 today drugs. Is he a representative of players in general? Perhaps he was on a "high" after nearly losing to Federer? NOT DRUG INDUCED!

Does anyone know for certain what happened? I doubt it. Seems a poor excuse to miss a test if feeling unwell. Surely the testers should see them and agree to wait rather than be told by the player! Then there is no problem. Poor management all round? Get it in writing that the test can be delayed a day must be the way. Quite frankly, if I had been good enough to be tested regularly then I would make sure nothing went wrong so why do top sportsman not do the same? Not doing a test gives a hint that perhaps something has been taken. I would want to avoid that innuendo.

With all the conjecture over who might and who might not have taken drugs is there a summary of tests taken and a list of those who miss or fail them available for anyone to inspect? The in word for all life now is transparency which is not achievable nor perhaps desirable so we do have some privacy in life but hey let's be more pragmatic here. WADA sort it for all sportsmen.

He was irritated because Troicki was never told by the professionals that if he missed the test due to illness or whatever, he would be given a ban. Also the ATP represenative at the tribunal apparently didn't fight Troicki's case in the apporopraite way. In short, the ATP is full of corrupt so-called professionals.

He was irritated because Troicki was never told by the professionals that if he missed the test due to illness or whatever, he would be given a ban. Also the ATP represenative at the tribunal apparently didn't fight Troicki's case in the apporopraite way. In short, the ATP is full of corrupt so-called professionals.